Local Chefs revolutionize traditional taco stand to gourmet style In Tijuana it is not surprising to see a couple arguing on a street corner on which is the best place to enjoy a good taco, and it?s difficult to agree on this issue since everyone has a different taste and opinion. Visitors that come to Tijuana, both from the U.S. and from the southern parts of Mexico have always enjoyed the delights of the street kitchens that can be found easily in certain corners. So many places, options, meats, marinades, fish, but ultimately the feeling in the city is the octopus tacos of Kokopelli. Without having enough capital to open a restaurant, the creativity of young local chefs now is beginning to take to the streets by carrying quality dishes, seasonings and a little magic to the demanding tastes of grilled seafood lovers. This is the case of Guillermo "Bear" Campos who is a chef that graduated from the Culinary Art School in Tijuana, and also that of his brother Pablo Campos and his business partner Orlando "Cricket" Miguel de Monte, who all are young entrepreneurs that have made a small taco stand, the new gastronomic corner of Baja California. Literally their advertising has been through word of mouth says "Cricket" while greeting farewell to a couple of guests: "We began testing this with a small stand and this you see here today is an evolution from that.""The project of Kokopelli surged from us just looking for employment, willing to work and doing what we like," said "Cricket". "Kokopelli is a deity of the tribe of the Hopi Indians; this represents fertility, music and dance." The culinary talents of Chef "Bear" have not gone unnoticed, since his stand is also constantly visited by personalities in this art such as Kristin Diaz de Sandi and Bill Esparza, who are critics from San Diego and Los Angeles that have also made positive comments about this chef?s kitchen. "The most popular taco is the Kraken, which is Octopus," says the chef and explained: "People like to see the grilled octopus, marinated, crispy, and cooked over charcoal, which certainly attracts attention." Besides a good kitchen the chef tells us that they also supports environmental causes, which if possible he would like to make this a business with a conscience as well, and is planning to mount a solar cell to promote to his guests the use of alternative means for energy. "We know that to be 100% ecological is impossible, so we try to limit our environmental impact: soon we will use solar energy to illuminate our business. We try to manage our waste and recyclables in the best ways as possible." said the Chef of Kokopelli. In a city that is very misunderstood like Tijuana, with an image as a stricken border town with stereotypes that are both within and outside the country, thanks to the good and daily hard work of these three friends, Tacos Kokopelli not only gives something to talk about, but also leaves you with a good after taste. Tacos Kokopelli is located on Ocampo Street between 11th Street and Blvd. Agua Caliente. Tijuana, Mexico. Telephone number 664-674-4906 Eduardo.Flores@sandiegored.com Video : Gerardo.Cornejo@sandiegored.com Translation : Omar.Martinez@sandiegored.com